Bird Watching – Duncrafthttp://blog.duncraft.com
WILD BIRD BLOG Wed, 30 Nov 2016 13:07:57 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.1http://blog.duncraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/cropped-Cardinal-logo-5121-32x32.pngBird Watching – Duncrafthttp://blog.duncraft.com
3232Fall Migrating Warblershttp://blog.duncraft.com/2015/09/24/watch-for-fall-migrating-warblers/
http://blog.duncraft.com/2015/09/24/watch-for-fall-migrating-warblers/#respondThu, 24 Sep 2015 14:17:44 +0000http://duncraft.wpengine.com/?p=4918Warblers seem to play Hide-and-Seek Warblers are elusive little birds that are often unnoticed by the average birdwatcher. And they can be difficult to identify because they move so fast, flitting among the underbrush in dense woods. Look for warblers along lakes or parks But autumn is a good time to seek out these colorful little birds with lovely songs as they begin their fall migration. Look for warblers along a river’s edge, along coastlines, and in parks and around lakes or other waterways. Or sit quietly in the woods, especially if it’s near a water source and you might be lucky enough to spot one of these birds. You can also serve fruit to help ease the stress of migration and suet, especially apple-flavored suet, with the hope any passing warblers will stop by for a snack. They most likely will. Also check online for recent sightings of warblers in your area. This way you can go right to the source where someone has already had a sighting. Don’t wait too long though–migrating birds are on the move and seldom stay in one place longer than necessary to rest and refuel. Enjoy these articles on migrating warblers! The Digiscoper “Some adult birds still retain […]

Warblers seem to play Hide-and-Seek

Warblers are elusive little birds that are often unnoticed by the average birdwatcher. And they can be difficult to identify because they move so fast, flitting among the underbrush in dense woods.

Look for warblers along lakes or parks

Look for bright yellow Prothonotary Warblers.

But autumn is a good time to seek out these colorful little birds with lovely songs as they begin their fall migration. Look for warblers along a river’s edge, along coastlines, and in parks and around lakes or other waterways.

Or sit quietly in the woods, especially if it’s near a water source and you might be lucky enough to spot one of these birds.

Also check online for recent sightings of warblers in your area. This way you can go right to the source where someone has already had a sighting. Don’t wait too long though–migrating birds are on the move and seldom stay in one place longer than necessary to rest and refuel.

Look around, you might see this Black-throated Blue Warbler in your area.

Enjoy these articles on migrating warblers!

“Some adult birds still retain their breeding plumage well into August. This month I’ve seen Black-throated Green, Wilson’s, Canada, American Redstarts, and other warblers that looked every bit as gorgeous as they do during spring.” Click on the title and read the article to learn more.

“With a few exceptions, the warblers that summer in the United States and Canada migrate south to Central and South America. They must do so because they are so dependent on insects, which are not available during northern winters.” Click on the title and read the article to learn more.

Happy Birding!

NOTE: This article was originally published in September 2010 and has since been revised for accuracy and completion.

]]>http://blog.duncraft.com/2015/09/24/watch-for-fall-migrating-warblers/feed/0Birds and Weather Predictionshttp://blog.duncraft.com/2015/09/22/can-birds-predict-the-weather/
http://blog.duncraft.com/2015/09/22/can-birds-predict-the-weather/#respondTue, 22 Sep 2015 16:33:06 +0000http://duncraft.wpengine.com/?p=10568Meteorology is no simple task Meteorology is a notoriously tricky business, as anybody who has ever had to restrain themselves from cursing out the weatherman for yet another blown weather report can attest. But long before weathermen were standing in front of a green screen or broadcasting over the radio with information gathered from the latest meteorological gadgets, people relied on far less technological means to predict the coming weather. Quite often, this involved observing the behavior of animals and correlating that to the weather that would follow. Cows lying down? Must be a thunderstorm coming. Cats cleaning behind their ears? Might be rain on the way. Which wives’ tales involved birds? More relevant to our purposes, included in many of those observations were birds. For example, an old wives’ tale states that if birds feed during a storm, the rain will continue for a long time – but if they don’t, then the rain will end fairly quickly. But are these unwitting avian weathermen any more reliable than a modern weather report? More specifically, are they reliable at all? In short, yes. Birds can predict the weather Most birds have what’s called the Vitali Organ, a special middle-ear receptor […]

Meteorology is no simple task

Meteorology is a notoriously tricky business, as anybody who has ever had to restrain themselves from cursing out the weatherman for yet another blown weather report can attest. But long before weathermen were standing in front of a green screen or broadcasting over the radio with information gathered from the latest meteorological gadgets, people relied on far less technological means to predict the coming weather. Quite often, this involved observing the behavior of animals and correlating that to the weather that would follow. Cows lying down? Must be a thunderstorm coming. Cats cleaning behind their ears? Might be rain on the way.

Which wives’ tales involved birds?

More relevant to our purposes, included in many of those observations were birds. For example, an old wives’ tale states that if birds feed during a storm, the rain will continue for a long time – but if they don’t, then the rain will end fairly quickly. But are these unwitting avian weathermen any more reliable than a modern weather report? More specifically, are they reliable at all?

In short, yes.

Birds can predict the weather

Most birds have what’s called the Vitali Organ, a special middle-ear receptor that can sense extremely small changes in atmospheric pressure. With extreme sensitivity comes equally acute pain reception, so the faster the atmospheric pressure falls (indicating an approaching storm), the more birds that fly low (and the lower they fly) to the ground in an attempt to alleviate the discomfort caused by the pressure change in their ears at higher altitudes.

They don’t have to be flying to escape the pain, either – if you notice a sudden and sharp increase in activity at your feeders or amassing on power lines, there’s probably a good chance that a storm is bearing down on your location. Conversely, if you notice that birds are flying high up in the sky, the weather is most likely clear.

What else should I look for?

The height at which birds are flying isn’t the only way you can use their actions to try and predict the weather. With a storm approaching, seagulls usually take a break from flying and seek refuge somewhere along the coast to wait the bad weather out. And all kinds of birds usually grow extremely quiet right before it begins to rain.

So while birds may not be able to alert you to tomorrow’s high temperature or if there’s going to be a frost overnight, they can still be useful and practical meteorological aids. And as for that old wives’ tale that says you can determine the relative length of a period of rain by whether or not birds feed in a storm, there seems to be no hard evidence that either confirms or denies its premise.

Happy Birding!

]]>http://blog.duncraft.com/2015/09/22/can-birds-predict-the-weather/feed/0Extended Hook SwingArmhttp://blog.duncraft.com/2015/07/28/new-item-at-duncraft-original-extended-hook-swingarm/
http://blog.duncraft.com/2015/07/28/new-item-at-duncraft-original-extended-hook-swingarm/#respondTue, 28 Jul 2015 15:48:17 +0000http://duncraft.wpengine.com/?p=14427You enjoy the sudden flurry of bird activity every time you refill your feeder. But the feeder is hard to reach. The hanger extends two and a half feet beyond the deck, so it’s too tall and too far for you to reach without falling. Wait! Refilling your feeder can be easy. All you need is a SwingArm. No, not swinging your arm out over the deck rail to reach the feeder. Good one, though. We mean a SwingArm hook… SwingArm hooks are sturdy and move with the touch of a finger, making it much easier to refill your bird feeder. These hooks are so easy to install, you’ll wish you knew about them years ago. If you’re looking for a different kind of hook, check out our other SwingArms. You can choose a dual hook, like the one above, with room for a plant and a feeder to increase your bird variety. Even with a plant and a feeder, this hook is still a breeze to use. Spend less time fiddling with your hangers and more time doing what you love. Pull and push the hanger with the touch of a finger for an easy way to refill your feeder, water your plant and get on with your day. You’ll […]

]]>You enjoy the sudden flurry of bird activity every time you refill your feeder. But the feeder is hard to reach. The hanger extends two and a half feet beyond the deck, so it’s too tall and too far for you to reach without falling.

Wait! Refilling your feeder can be easy.

All you need is a SwingArm. No, not swinging your arm out over the deck rail to reach the feeder. Good one, though. We mean a SwingArm hook…

…like this one.

SwingArm hooks are sturdy and move with the touch of a finger, making it much easier to refill your bird feeder. These hooks are so easy to install, you’ll wish you knew about them years ago.

They hold your heaviest plants and feeders, no problem.

If you’re looking for a different kind of hook, check out our other SwingArms. You can choose a dual hook, like the one above, with room for a plant and a feeder to increase your bird variety. Even with a plant and a feeder, this hook is still a breeze to use.

Spend less time fiddling with your hangers and more time doing what you love. Pull and push the hanger with the touch of a finger for an easy way to refill your feeder, water your plant and get on with your day.

]]>http://blog.duncraft.com/2015/07/28/new-item-at-duncraft-original-extended-hook-swingarm/feed/0New Bird Photo ID Apphttp://blog.duncraft.com/2015/06/29/new-bird-photo-id-app/
http://blog.duncraft.com/2015/06/29/new-bird-photo-id-app/#respondMon, 29 Jun 2015 15:30:55 +0000http://duncraft.wpengine.com/?p=13946Using the Merlin Bird ID app, you can identify a bird in three steps. Right now, they’re working on a new feature where you can upload a photo you took and identify the bird. This is a much more personalized approach to bird watching, using the convenience of technology. Once the Merlin Bird Photo ID works reliably with smartphones, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology plans to add it to the Merlin app. Do you have a smartphone? Click here to help test the app. It only takes a minute. “Merlin is designed to be a birding coach for beginning and intermediate bird watchers. Merlin asks you the same questions that an expert birder would ask to help solve a mystery bird sighting.” Read more here or from Cornell.

Using the Merlin Bird ID app, you can identify a bird in three steps. Right now, they’re working on a new feature where you can upload a photo you took and identify the bird. This is a much more personalized approach to bird watching, using the convenience of technology.

Once the Merlin Bird Photo ID works reliably with smartphones, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology plans to add it to the Merlin app. Do you have a smartphone? Click here to help test the app. It only takes a minute.

“Merlin is designed to be a birding coach for beginning and intermediate bird watchers. Merlin asks you the same questions that an expert birder would ask to help solve a mystery bird sighting.” Read more here or from Cornell.

]]>http://blog.duncraft.com/2015/06/29/new-bird-photo-id-app/feed/0An Interview with NH Homeshttp://blog.duncraft.com/2015/06/15/birders-flock-to-duncraft-for-bird-food-and-feeders-an-interview-with-new-hampshire-homes/
http://blog.duncraft.com/2015/06/15/birders-flock-to-duncraft-for-bird-food-and-feeders-an-interview-with-new-hampshire-homes/#respondMon, 15 Jun 2015 13:03:30 +0000http://duncraft.wpengine.com/?p=13955We were recently featured in an article called, “Birders Flock to Duncraft for Bird Food and Feeders.” Check out some of what New Hampshire Homes has to offer for Concord, NH Real Estate.

]]>http://blog.duncraft.com/2015/06/15/birders-flock-to-duncraft-for-bird-food-and-feeders-an-interview-with-new-hampshire-homes/feed/0Invisible Duckshttp://blog.duncraft.com/2015/04/21/invisible-ducks/
http://blog.duncraft.com/2015/04/21/invisible-ducks/#respondTue, 21 Apr 2015 15:50:43 +0000http://duncraft.wpengine.com/?p=13879Years ago I was camping in the Adirondacks in mid-April. I had just started birding, so I was thrilled to hear large groups of ducks quacking away in the woods. So off I went, in pursuit of the ducks. I found the ponds . . . I found the quacking . . . but not a duck to be seen. There were, however, quite a few small frogs, quacking their little hearts out to attract mates. Just click on the photo to hear the quacking. I’m not sure if those particular frogs found mates, but they certainly caught my interest. Wood frogs are common in the northeastern and northern mid-western areas of the US and Canada and are found further west and south in smaller numbers. In fact, these hardy little frogs are the only frogs found north of the Arctic Circle. Wood Frogs spend the winter buried in leaf litter; they stop breathing, their hearts stop beating, and ice forms in the intercellular spaces. The frogs are kept from freezing completely because they produce a kind of antifreeze which keeps their cells from freezing. In early spring they start thawing out and start quacking, eating, mating, and laying their eggs in the […]

]]>Years ago I was camping in the Adirondacks in mid-April. I had just started birding, so I was thrilled to hear large groups of ducks quacking away in the woods. So off I went, in pursuit of the ducks. I found the ponds . . . I found the quacking . . . but not a duck to be seen. There were, however, quite a few small frogs, quacking their little hearts out to attract mates. Just click on the photo to hear the quacking.

I’m not sure if those particular frogs found mates, but they certainly caught my interest. Wood frogs are common in the northeastern and northern mid-western areas of the US and Canada and are found further west and south in smaller numbers. In fact, these hardy little frogs are the only frogs found north of the Arctic Circle. Wood Frogs spend the winter buried in leaf litter; they stop breathing, their hearts stop beating, and ice forms in the intercellular spaces. The frogs are kept from freezing completely because they produce a kind of antifreeze which keeps their cells from freezing. In early spring they start thawing out and start quacking, eating, mating, and laying their eggs in the vernal pools. Just click on the photo to see a video with more information on this amazing behavior.

Wood frogs aren’t as big as the noise they make — they are typically about 2″ long. One of their most distinguishing features is the “robber’s mask” over their eyes. The toes on the Wood Frogs’ front legs aren’t fully webbed because they spend more time on land than other frog species do. After they mate, the frogs lay their eggs in dense mats on the pond and in 7 weeks the tadpoles hatch out and develop into small frogs. Click on the below photo of the frog eggs to learn more.

This time of year is a treat for the ears — the quacking of the Wood Frogs and the higher notes of the Spring Peepers and the sweet singing of birds calling for mates. This magic doesn’t last long so enjoy it while it’s here, and don’t be afraid to pull on your mud boots for a tromp in the spring woods!

]]>http://blog.duncraft.com/2015/04/21/invisible-ducks/feed/0The Bobolink Projecthttp://blog.duncraft.com/2015/04/15/the-bobolink-project/
http://blog.duncraft.com/2015/04/15/the-bobolink-project/#commentsWed, 15 Apr 2015 21:02:53 +0000http://duncraft.wpengine.com/?p=13606Take a walk in a sunny, open field in the northeast in mid-summer and if you’re very lucky, you might see a Bobolink. You really need that luck, because Bobolink populations have been declining for the past century, with a 75% decline just in the last 40 years. Whether you call them Bobolinks, white-winged blackbirds, butter birds, rice birds, or reed birds, there just aren’t that many anymore. The reason is a strange sort of habitat loss — the big hay fields they nest in are still there, but farmers have been changing the way the hay is harvested. It’s harvested earlier and more often, and that impacts the bobolinks ability to build their nests and raise their young. It’s a big problem for the Bobolinks, and other grassland birds, too, like the Eastern Meadowlark, Savannah Sparrow, Upland Sandpiper, and the Grasshopper Sparrow. It’s time to get innovative, and that’s exactly what the Boblink Project has been doing since 2007. The Bobolink Project is a non-profit research program based out of the University of Connecticut and the University of Vermont. It provides a brand-new way to connect our environmental values with the farmers who can help. The project pays farmers to not […]

]]>Take a walk in a sunny, open field in the northeast in mid-summer and if you’re very lucky, you might see a Bobolink. You really need that luck, because Bobolink populations have been declining for the past century, with a 75% decline just in the last 40 years. Whether you call them Bobolinks, white-winged blackbirds, butter birds, rice birds, or reed birds, there just aren’t that many anymore. The reason is a strange sort of habitat loss — the big hay fields they nest in are still there, but farmers have been changing the way the hay is harvested. It’s harvested earlier and more often, and that impacts the bobolinks ability to build their nests and raise their young. It’s a big problem for the Bobolinks, and other grassland birds, too, like the Eastern Meadowlark, Savannah Sparrow, Upland Sandpiper, and the Grasshopper Sparrow.

It’s time to get innovative, and that’s exactly what the Boblink Project has been doing since 2007. The Bobolink Project is a non-profit research program based out of the University of Connecticut and the University of Vermont. It provides a brand-new way to connect our environmental values with the farmers who can help. The project pays farmers to not mow their fields during the nesting season (late May-early June). The payments are funded through community contributions by bird lovers like you and me, who want to continue to see healthy, diverse bird populations.

Bobolinks are small, about the size of bluebirds, yet they have the longest migration of any North American songbird! And these hardy little birds need our help. Please take a few minutes to visit the project’s website, like them on Facebook, pin a few of their photos on Pinterest, or tweet about it to your friends. Better yet, pledge a few dollars to help them out. It’s a worthy project and 100% of the donations go directly to the farmers.

]]>http://blog.duncraft.com/2015/04/15/the-bobolink-project/feed/1My Wildlife Gardenhttp://blog.duncraft.com/2015/02/16/my-wildlife-garden-by-anne-myers/
http://blog.duncraft.com/2015/02/16/my-wildlife-garden-by-anne-myers/#respondMon, 16 Feb 2015 18:58:58 +0000http://duncraft.wpengine.com/?p=13502Observing the activity of wildlife in my garden has become a favorite pastime of mine and provides constant pleasure and entertainment regardless of the season. Writing about it inspires special memories! On Mother’s Day last May I got up early and sat outside in my pajamas, cup of coffee in hand, reflecting on my little garden paradise. It was alive with birds, spring-flowering trees and shrubs in full bloom, particularly the native dogwoods my mother gave me forty years earlier, and with perennials pushing through the soil amongst the lingering daffodils. My four hand-painted birdhouses had been cleaned and hung awaiting the arrival of a family of Carolina Wren or Chickadees. I always love watching them flit in and out of the houses with nesting materials and then food for the babies. This past summer I sat outside on the terrace, binoculars and birding books at hand, again watching birds in the yard at the feeders and birdbaths or in the trees and shrubs. Having purposely planted more and more natives and annual salvia and added a nectar feeding station, I wasn’t surprised when ruby-throated hummingbirds regularly swooped by, often hovering inches from me, making stops to sample the nectar […]

Observing the activity of wildlife in my garden has become a favorite pastime of mine and provides constant pleasure and entertainment regardless of the season. Writing about it inspires special memories!

On Mother’s Day last May I got up early and sat outside in my pajamas, cup of coffee in hand, reflecting on my little garden paradise. It was alive with birds, spring-flowering trees and shrubs in full bloom, particularly the native dogwoods my mother gave me forty years earlier, and with perennials pushing through the soil amongst the lingering daffodils. My four hand-painted birdhouses had been cleaned and hung awaiting the arrival of a family of Carolina Wren or Chickadees. I always love watching them flit in and out of the houses with nesting materials and then food for the babies.

This past summer I sat outside on the terrace, binoculars and birding books at hand, again watching birds in the yard at the feeders and birdbaths or in the trees and shrubs. Having purposely planted more and more natives and annual salvia and added a nectar feeding station, I wasn’t surprised when ruby-throated hummingbirds regularly swooped by, often hovering inches from me, making stops to sample the nectar before racing off to shelter or another meal. A few glorious goldfinches would also arrive periodically to eat seeds or insects from the Russian sage. Toward the end of the summer, monarch butterflies appeared as well lingering on the butterfly weed and milkweed. Bees abounded on the flowers throughout the season even though I was unable to install a bee house this summer like I had planned.

This winter is no less entertaining for watching the wildlife. Birds abound—chickadees, finches, sparrows, woodpeckers, nuthatches, titmice, cardinals, robins, Eastern phoebes, juncos, occasional blue jays and other thugs—except when a stray hawk appears in the yard. Then there is not a bird to be found! However, they do reemerge from their hiding in the nearby shrubs and trees to eat from my four “squirrel-buster” feeders filled with no-waste food or from the suet feeders stocked with high-energy suet. Even in freezing weather the birds are able to bathe and drink from my birdbath that has a heating element. It is always quite a sight to watch the splashing!

My wildlife garden is a work in progress. The structure of the garden has developed over many years to meet the needs of plants and animals. Layers of plantings with a canopy, understory, shrubs and groundcover offer places for shelter, nesting, hiding and feeding. The plantings include some berried trees and shrubs (both summer and fall-fruiting), conifers and broadleaf evergreens for storm shelter, and small trees and shrubs (including hollies) in clumps of the same specie to boost cross-pollination and food production. As I learn more, I add natural and artificial elements such as selected native perennials, trees and shrubs and water sources for every season. I am sorry that it took me so long to discover this year-round pleasure. A good friend gave me a Brooklyn Botanic Garden All-Region Guide, The Wildlife Gardener’s Guide. I recommend it!

Thank you to guest blogger Anne Myers of Irvington-on-Hudson, NY for sharing her lovely article about her wildlife garden. Tell us about your garden!

]]>http://blog.duncraft.com/2015/02/16/my-wildlife-garden-by-anne-myers/feed/0The Great Backyard Bird Counthttp://blog.duncraft.com/2015/02/10/join-the-great-backyard-bird-count/
http://blog.duncraft.com/2015/02/10/join-the-great-backyard-bird-count/#respondTue, 10 Feb 2015 17:18:45 +0000http://duncraft.wpengine.com/?p=13485Give Mother Nature a valentine this year and show how much you care about birds by counting them for the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). The 18th annual count is taking place February 13 through 16. Anyone in the world can count birds at any location for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count and enter their sightings at www.BirdCount.org. The information gathered by tens of thousands of volunteers helps track changes in bird populations on a massive scale. The GBBC is a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society with partner Bird Studies Canada. Bird watchers fell in love with the magnificent Snowy Owl during the last count when the birds were reported in unprecedented numbers across southeastern Canada, the Great Lakes states, the Northeast, and down the Atlantic Coast. Expect Snowy Owls to show up in higher numbers during this year’s GBBC, too. “This may also be a big year for finches,” notes Audubon Chief Scientist Gary Langham. “GBBC participants in North America should be on the lookout for larger numbers of Pine Siskins and redpolls. These birds also push farther south when pine cone seed crops […]

]]>Give Mother Nature a valentine this year and show how much you care about birds by counting them for the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). The 18th annual count is taking place February 13 through 16. Anyone in the world can count birds at any location for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count and enter their sightings at www.BirdCount.org. The information gathered by tens of thousands of volunteers helps track changes in bird populations on a massive scale. The GBBC is a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society with partner Bird Studies Canada.

Bird watchers fell in love with the magnificent Snowy Owl during the last count when the birds were reported in unprecedented numbers across southeastern Canada, the Great Lakes states, the Northeast, and down the Atlantic Coast. Expect Snowy Owls to show up in higher numbers during this year’s GBBC, too.

“This may also be a big year for finches,” notes Audubon Chief Scientist Gary Langham. “GBBC participants in North America should be on the lookout for larger numbers of Pine Siskins and redpolls. These birds also push farther south when pine cone seed crops fail in the far north of Canada.”

Bird watchers from 135 countries participated in the 2014 count, documenting nearly 4,300 species on more than 144,000 bird checklists–that’s about 43% of all the bird species in the world! In addition to the U.S. and Canada, India, Australia, and Mexico led the way with the greatest number of checklists submitted.

“We especially want to encourage people to share their love of birds and bird watching with someone new this year,” says Dick Cannings at Bird Studies Canada. “Take your sweetheart, a child, a neighbor, or a coworker with you while you count birds for the GBBC. Share your passion and you may fledge a brand new bird watcher!”

The Great Backyard Bird Count is a great way for people of all ages and backgrounds to connect with nature and show some love for the birds this Valentine”s Day. Participation is free and easy. To learn more about how to join the count, download instructions, a slide show, web buttons, and other materials, visit www.birdcount.org. While you’re there, get inspired by the winning photos from the 2014 GBBC photo contest.

]]>http://blog.duncraft.com/2015/02/10/join-the-great-backyard-bird-count/feed/0Gifts You Can’t Misshttp://blog.duncraft.com/2014/12/15/gifts-you-dont-want-to-miss/
http://blog.duncraft.com/2014/12/15/gifts-you-dont-want-to-miss/#respondMon, 15 Dec 2014 18:26:54 +0000http://duncraft.wpengine.com/?p=12860A lot of companies are creating Top 10 lists and we figured we would highlight a few items that should not be overlooked as gifts this holiday season. It can be hard to shop for a birder, but we feel like these three items are fool-proof. Any birder would love these gifts! Here we’ve featured several birdhouses with nesting materials that will draw wild birds into any backyard. The Classic Airflow Birdhouse comes from the mind of our CEO Mike Dunn, who is constantly creating innovative birding products. Made in the USA, right here in our New Hampshire workshop, this birdhouse is designed to provide bird families with excellent ventilation, while they raise healthy nestlings. Available in two styles. Grapevine Globes are an all natural method to offer nesting material to the birds. Why it’s a favorite: “I have 5 labs so I constantly have an abundance of dog fur. I gently pick up the fur after brushing and stuff them into these nesting balls. The birds love it best of anything else I have put in them.” Backyard birders — no matter their years of experience — love watching the birds in any capacity. Since the Window View House is open in the back, they can see right into the nesting […]

]]>A lot of companies are creating Top 10 lists and we figured we would highlight a few items that should not be overlooked as gifts this holiday season. It can be hard to shop for a birder, but we feel like these three items are fool-proof. Any birder would love these gifts! Here we’ve featured several birdhouses with nesting materials that will draw wild birds into any backyard.

Classic Airflow Birdhouse

The Classic Airflow Birdhouse comes from the mind of our CEO Mike Dunn, who is constantly creating innovative birding products. Made in the USA, right here in our New Hampshire workshop, this birdhouse is designed to provide bird families with excellent ventilation, while they raise healthy nestlings. Available in two styles.

Grapevine Globes are an all natural method to offer nesting material to the birds. Why it’s a favorite: “I have 5 labs so I constantly have an abundance of dog fur. I gently pick up the fur after brushing and stuff them into these nesting balls. The birds love it best of anything else I have put in them.”

Backyard birders — no matter their years of experience — love watching the birds in any capacity. Since the Window View House is open in the back, they can see right into the nesting area without disturbing the birds. They’ll feel like part of the family!